100,000 Opportunities Initiative to Host Opportunity Hiring Fair in Seattle on May 5, Expanding a Nationwide Effort to Connect America’s Youth to Jobs

Coalition of 40 Top U.S. Companies Set to Launch Long-Term Hiring
Effort in Seattle to Bring Jobs to Opportunity Youth – 16-24 Year Olds
Who Are Not in School or Employed

Hundreds of Interviews and On-the-Spot Job Offers Available at Free
Hiring Event at CenturyLink Field Event Center on May 5; more than 1,500
Seattle Youth Expected to Attend

Building on Similar Events in Chicago, Phoenix and Los Angeles, the
Initiative is Part of a National Employer-Led Push to Hire At Least
100,000 Opportunity Youth by 2018

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With 5.5 million young Americans out of school and work, the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative, a coalition of 40 top U.S. companies, today
announced plans to expand its national youth hiring movement to Seattle,
beginning with an unprecedented job fair on May 5 at Seattle’s
CenturyLink Field Event Center.

Hiring managers from Alaska Airlines, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Delaware
North, Dominos, Evolution Fresh, FedEx, Hilton, HMSHost, Hyatt,
JCPenney, Leisure Care, Lyft, Macy’s, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Panda
Express, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Red Robin, Republic Services,
Starbucks, Taco Bell, Target, Teavana, T-Mobile, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens,
and Walmart will be at the Seattle Opportunity Fair. Together, they will
interview hundreds of youth in an effort to connect many of King
County’s estimated 50,5931 Opportunity Youth – 16-24 year
olds who are disconnected from employment and education – to meaningful
job opportunities and a pathway to success. The event will also kick
start a long-term effort in partnership with many of the region’s
leading businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions
and civic leaders to employ thousands of local youth, accelerating the
coalition’s national goal to hire at least 100,000 opportunity youth by
2018.

“We’re thrilled to partner with so many respected brands and give young
people the opportunity to thrive and grow in today’s economy,” said Brad
Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines. “Building work-related skills and
gaining solid work experience will prepare today’s youth for the future
and strengthen our community.”

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative’s work in Seattle will build on
success from similar hiring efforts it recently launched in Chicago,
Phoenix and Los Angeles. To date, more than 25,000 youth have found
jobs, internships or higher education opportunities through the
participating companies, of which 2,300 received on-the spot offers at
the three hiring fairs. The coalition will look to host more than 1,500
youth at the Seattle Opportunity Fair on May 5. Participating companies
expect to make hundreds of immediate job offers as they did in Chicago,
Phoenix and Los Angeles.

“The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has provided Nordstrom with a
unique forum to connect and establish relationships with our next
generation of employees, customers and community leaders,” said Jamie
Nordstrom, President of Stores, Nordstrom. “At the first three
events we were fortunate to meet, and even hire on the spot, some
fantastic young people and introduce them to Nordstrom as a great place
to start a career. We’re looking forward to another inspiring event here
in our hometown of Seattle.”

“A great first job can truly open up a pathway to lifelong opportunity
for a young person,” said Howard Schultz, chairman and ceo of
Starbucks. “Starbucks is proud to partner with the community in
Seattle to connect Opportunity Youth with a pathway to their first job.
We believe companies across the county have a role and responsibility to
create opportunities for young people across the economic spectrum. We
are eager to do our part in providing on the spot jobs offers in our
hometown of Seattle.”

In Seattle, and around the country, youth unemployment still tops 12
percent2, disproportionately impacting young people of color
and those from low-income communities. The coalition will work alongside
Seattle’s community and civic leaders including the City of Seattle,
King County, Educurious, Community Center for Education Results & the
Roadmap Project, the United Way of King County, and other key partners
to build on existing opportunity youth hiring efforts and ensure the
initiative is sustained in the long run.

“The City of Seattle is proud to be a partner in this employer-led
effort to help all our young people develop the skills they need to
thrive in a 21st Century workforce,” said Seattle Mayor Ed
Murray. “The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, in collaboration with
my Youth Employment Initiative, is an investment in the future of our
young people and in creating more equitable access to opportunity. It is
a critical step toward ensuring all of our young people share in the
prosperity of our innovation economy.”

“Educurious is thrilled to be making connections between employers and
today’s youth as part of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative,” said
Michael Golden, Chief Executive Officer of Educurious. “Helping
young people gain work experience stimulates short-term impact and
builds toward their future success by providing them with readiness,
agency for their life, inspiration for relevant career pathways and a
network to support them along the way.”

“Through this important initiative in Seattle and King County, we plan
to build integrated employment and education pathways that reconnect
young people to opportunity and develop a long-term model for engagement
and retention,” said Nicole Yohalem, Director of the Road Map
Project’s Opportunity Youth Initiative for the Community Center for
Education Results.

Registration Now Open for Seattle Opportunity Hiring Fair

Interested candidates are invited to register for free and pre-schedule
their interviews for the May 5 hiring event at www.100kOpportunities.org/Seattle.
Lyft, a member of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, will provide
free rides up to $50 for candidates who are new Lyft passengers to help
them easily access transportation to and from the event. Youth will also
have access to more than 30 vital employment, educational and social
services, including one-on-one resume and interview coaching; access to
high school and equivalency through admissions to programs at the
University of Washington; opportunities for civic engagement like voter
registration and national service; the chance to build an online profile
with LinkedIn’s experts; and more.

“We believe in creating a broad range of new opportunities for young
people who have many interests and backgrounds, while at the same time
creating a pipeline for technology talent that sparks innovation,” said
Mary Snapp, Corporate Vice President and Head of Microsoft
Philanthropies. “We look forward to connecting job fair attendees
with career opportunities at our retail stores, as well as on-site
mentoring to further their education and enter careers in high-tech
fields.”

America’s Largest Employer-Led Coalition for Opportunity Youth
Welcomes Accenture, Leisure Care, Panda Express, Services Group of
America, and Ulta Beauty as Newest Members

“Our community can make a difference in the lives of opportunity youth.
With more than 50,000 Opportunity Youth in the Seattle area, we have a
responsibility to offer creative new solutions to help young people find
opportunity,” said Sheri Schultz, co-founder of the Schultz Family
Foundation. “Our strategic collaboration includes the private
sector, local governments, community-based organizations, and
foundations— all working together to create a better system of
opportunity for young people who are facing barriers to that first job
or first introduction to community engagement. The Schultz Family
Foundation is excited to be part of this important work.”

The Aspen Institute’s Forum for Community Solutions acts as an
intermediary for the coalition in the hiring cities, building upon the
existing work of its national Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund (OYIF).
The OYIF currently supports collaborative efforts focused on Opportunity
Youth in 21 communities around the country. The Aspen Institute provides
direct leadership, technical assistance, and programmatic support to the
100,000 Opportunities Initiative in Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles,
Seattle and future cities.

About the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has the goal of creating the
nation’s largest employer-led private sector coalition committed to
creating pathways to employment for young people. Companies engaged in
the coalition will help to launch careers for young people that are just
entering the workforce, including internships, apprenticeships and on
the job training, in addition to developing potential in youth that have
some work experience but are looking to gain new skills that lead to a
successful career.

For more information, including a complete list of participating
companies, community service organizations, funders and participants,
please visit www.100kOpportunities.org.